TE AWAMUTU. THE RAIN AND THE ROADS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1870, 1 July 1884, Page 2

TE AWAMUTU. THE RAIN AND THE ROADS.

Tub road from Rangiaoliia to Kihikihi is in a \ery bad state. The late rains have caused the river to oveifiW, with the result that the road near Gi fiord's bridge has been several feet under water some men have been employed tijing to repiir it, and a wide and deep drain has been cut on one side.— under the impression I suppose that it will cai ry ofF the overflow. Last Saturday week as Mr Weatherill was returning from Kihikihi to Kangiaohia in his waggonette in trying to avoid a deep hole in the middle of the road he drove to the side and got into the new ditch. Both his bosses were nearly drowned, and 1 believo would ha\ c been but for the assistance of Messrs Storey and Grice, who fortunately arrived just in time to help Mr Weatherill. The whole place was underwater so that it was impossible to see the ditch Father Luck, while riding to Kihikihi next moining either got into the hole in the ro.ul (one of considerable extent) or the ditch, and had to swim out. The council intend I believe, to repair, ortiy to repair, the spot, bnt it will be <i waste of money. Laying fascines down w ill not mend tndtteis, for that will not prevent the water overflowing tlie road ; nothing short of a hit>h embankment will make the road safe, and that is not without its diawbacks, for if not washed away — which would probably be the case— it would cause the properties alongside to be flooded. The traveller in avoiding the bad spat in the centre is liable to get into the river ou one side, or the drain on the other. This tinkering and pa telling is only a waste of money, and as long as this road is kept open, moiiey will have to be spent on it constantly. A better road could bo made higher up the river. This would of cotnse necessitate the building of a new biidge, and a good deal of formation, but if a road is to bo kept open, it would be better to make a good and safe one at once than w.vste money on the present one. These accidents are not the only ones that have occurred in this spot ; when some one has been drowned perhaps another road will bj madu THE SMALL BIRD NPISAXCK AND THE

PHEASANTS. Many people say that the grain used for poisoning sparrows will not poison pheasants. This is a mistake. A gentleman living near Cambridge picked up in one paddock eight hen pheasants which weie poisoned ; doubtless a good many cocks were poisoned also, but being stronger, they probably flew farther than the hens. A man told me he laid poisoned wheat for sparrows near Kihikilii, and next morning he found a number of pheasants and pukekos dead in the paddock. Of course, it" will not do to spare the spanows on account of the pheasants, but if the grain weru laid iv small quantities, it would answer the purpose for the small birds, and the pheasants could not get so much of it. What with the increasing numbers of hawks and cats, and the rascally pothunters who shoot all the year, the game has a poor chance of incieasing. The Acclimatisation Society, until the last year or two, derived a good income from license tees, but few people take any now, there is so little sport to be had. It would pay the society to offer a small reward for hawks heads. —(Own Correspondent.)